Union



Aug. 29, 1950 R 2,520,215

UNION Filed Jan. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l RALPH L. KERR 2 I INVENTOR.

Byg w A TTORNE Y5 Aug. 29, 1950 UNION Filed Jan. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RALPH L. KERR INVENTOR.

Fig 5 BY ffizz A TTORNE Y5 R. L. KERR 2,520,215

1950 R. L. KERR 2,520,215

umou

Filed Jan. 24, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s RALPH L. KER/P INVENTOR.

Km/5M KM ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES OF FICE Ralph L. Kerr, "Houston, Tex.

ApplicationJanua-ry 24, 1947, Serial No. 723.963

4 Claims. 1

I-his invention relatesto a unionor-coupling "and more particularly to a device of this type which is capable of freely swiveling when carryingfiuids under pressure and which may bee-read- .ily connected and disconnected at will.

.hnzobject of the invention isto provide asw-ivel :union lor coupling that maybe readily connected --.or sdi-sconnected.

Another object is to provide-a .union of :the :class described in which "no threading or nn- :Zthreading :is necessary to make up :or .to release the connection.

:QStill :another object is to :provide ,aunion in which there is no tendency to unthread the meadily interconnected portions thereof when making .up the union, when disconnecting the :nnion. or when the union'is in normal'use.

iA-still further object-isitoprovide a union having anon-friction bearing to .assume :the axial lorid-tending to separate the componentpartsof 5 tterposed packing so constructedand arranged as to assure a seal between the members, but permitting ready withdrawal of the male member when adisconnection of the union is desired, andalso {permitting desired swiveling :action when the .unionis in normal use.

"The foregoing objects together with :other ob- "iects and advantages of the invention will .be r more fully apparent from the following .descrip- -'.tion considered in connection with the accom- ::panying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of .the union embodying the invention, the view being taken on line l-l inFig. 2;

Fig. '2 is an elevational view in half section of the device;

'.Fig..'3.is a detail of an alternate construction in which .the anti-friction swivel connection is provided by the component partsof one of the amion members;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of xanalternate construction,-the view being taken on line 4-4 in Fig. .5;

Fig. 5 is an elevational View in half :section .showing details in construction of this form;

Fig.6 is a detail showing amodified form ,of locking mechanism for the union;

Fig. Us a plan view of ,an-alternateiorm, certainaparts being shown insectionand the view ,bet :ing taken on line 'l'! in Fig. .8;

Fig. 8 is'an .elevational View in half section of this alternate form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is :a detail showing the-interposition of a ball type-of friction bearing between the latch- 2 ing elements and the male member in the form shown in ,Figs. 7 andB.

In Figs. 1 and2 the device is shown as comprising-a male member 5 and female member 2,-of which the latter is thickened at -3 and has a counterbore 4 to receive theend .Sof the :male member. The thickened portion of the ,female member has an internal groove .l which receives packing 8, preferably of the chevron type .as shown. It is intended that this packing shall be .of such type that the end 5 may be .readilyqinserted "into or withdrawn from the counterbore i .andpermit relative rotation of the members 1 and 2 and yet will functionat alltimes to prevent leakage between these members when .fluid is flowing under pressure through the union.

The male member i has a flange Hi intermediate .itsends and closely adjacent the-end-of the female member when these members are inter- -fitting. An anti-friction bearing 9 rests vupon *this flange andis normally retained'in'place by -means of the snap ring H. The'lower ball race IZrests upon thexflange l and the upper race 13 has a depending-flange it, these races together with the-interposed balls 15 comprising the bear- .ing assembly and serving, as will be more fully explained, to carry heavy thrusts outwardly of and tending to separate the elements land 2 when the union is in normal use.

The upper surface of'th'e ball race 13 is-tapered :at .29 forcoaction with complementary tapered surfaces on the latch members iii-mounted :upon pivots 22 which pass through paired cars .23. The latch members;2-i arencrmallyurged-toward latching position by compression springs25 'inrterposed between "thelower ends of the latch members and the female or body member 2 and entering opposed recessesin these members.

By virtue of the complementary taper-ed surfaces on the latches ,2i and the upper ball race L3, there-is a tendency for the latches tomcve inwardly to enhance latching whenthere is pres- "sure within the union tending to separate the members i and 2. As an additional factor of safety-to assure latching, aligned passages may .beformed in the ears 23and the latch members 1;! to receive .cotter .pins .26, it being understood that such .pins will be removed when the latch members 2 I are-tube tilted to unlatching position to permit withdrawal of the portion fiofthe, male members from within counterbore A in the .fe- .male member 2.

The outer ends of the male-and female :membars are threaded or otherwise formed :at 2'! and 28 to facilitate attachment to tubular sections such as pipe or hose to be interconnected by the union.

.In the operationof the union thus far described it isassumed that the union forms a connection between sections of a conduit carrying fluid under pressure. Leakage between the elements I and 2 is prevented by the packing 8. At the same time, however, relative rotation between these elements may be readily effected inasmuch as the friction produced by the packing 8 is relatively small and likewise friction within the bearing 9 is small. When pressure is released within the union, and the pins 25 are withdrawn, the latches 2| may be tilted by the application of pressure inwardly upon the lower ends of these latch members whereby the upper ends thereof will move outwardly from position over the bearing 9. Thereupon the member I may be readily withdrawn from position within the female member 2. Reconnection may be effected by inserting the lower end of the male member in the upper end of the counterbore l and applying axial pressure thereto. and in this manner the latches 2| will be urged outwardly from engagement of the flange In with the tapered upper surfaces upon the latch members.

When using the modification shown in Fig. 3, the bearing 9 may be omitted whereby the latch members 2| wll engage a complementary surface upon the flange I0. This provides a releasable male-female connection. swiveling action is provided by surrounding the lower end of the female member 2 with a collar 3!! having an internal groove to receive packing 3!. Complementary op osed grooves in the member 2 and the collar 30 receive balls 28 so that these parts are maintained in assembled relat on and with non-frictional swiveling action therebetween.

In the union shown in Fi s. 4 and 5 the male member is provided with paired ears 23' in which the latch members 2| are mounted upon p vots 22. These latch members extend downwardly and are adapted to engage the nonfriction bearing 8 which surrounds the member 2 adjacent the flan e 35 thereon. This construction is provided with packing 8 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each of the latch members 2| has arcuate outer surface 35 at their upper ends, and a portion of such surface is adapted to fit with n a complementary surface within the latch collar 31 fitting slidably upon the periphery of the member I. This latch collar has an inwardly extending projection 38 at its lower end and it is intended that such projection shall enter recess 39 formed in the latch member below the pivot 22. Hence, continued upward movement of the latch collar will effect swinging of the latch members 2| to unlatching position whereby the members and 2' may be readily disconnected. Similarly downward movement of the latch collar 31 when the latches 2| are moved to unlatching position, will force the latches inwardly to effect latching and to lock the latches in such position. It seems apparent that this structure provides for a swivel connection that may be readily connected or disconnected and one in which the latch ng elements are aflirmatively held in latching position when the union is in normal use.

In Fig. 6 the latch member is shown in modified form at 40, the outer surface of this member being linear to fit within the latch collar 4| which is provided with a spring pressed plunger 42 adapted to enter a detent 43 in the latch member so that the latch collar will be releasably retained in latching position.

The structure shown in Figs. 7 and 8 partakes of features shown in prior figures above described. The male member 50 similar to the member I previously described, has a flange H! which is rounded at 5| so that downward movement of the member will cause this surface to engage the upper tapered surface 52 on the latches 53 and urges these latches outwardly to permit entrance of the end 5 of the male member into the counterbore 54 of the female member 55.

Each of the latches 53 has one or more rollers 56 mounted therein to engage the upper face of the flange I0 whereby rolling friction only is had to assume the thrust between members 50 and 55 when internal pressure is applied thereto. This anti-friction structure may be replaced by the bearing structure 9 shown in Fig. 9 and also shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and previously described.

The member 50 is provided with spaced detents 60 and 5| engageable by ball 62 in the bore 63 in latch collar 64. The ball 62 is constantly urged inwardly by compression spring 65 held within the bore 63 by screw cap 56. This structure releasably holds the lock collar e ther in a lowermost position as shown whereby the latches 53 are held in latching position, or in an elevated position whereby the latches 53 are swingable outwardly so that the member 64 may be withdrawn from within the counterbore 54 or inserted thereinto in util zing the union in the normal and intended manner.

In this embodiment the annular groove within the female member is shown as of such radial and axial extent as to loosely receive a toroidal or O-ring 61 which normally permits free sliding movement of the end 5 of the male member into or from within the counterbore 54 but which functions, upon the application of internal fluid pressure in the union members, to maintain a seal between the members and thereby prevent any leakage through the union when in use.

Broadly the invention comprehends a union of novel construction which may be readily connected or disconnected but which is capable of withstanding high internal pressures without leakage'and at the same time enabling swiveling action between the interconnected elements thereof. I

The invention claimed is:

1. A union of the class described including, male and female members having complementary interfitting parts, a flange on one of the members, an antifriction bearing surrounding said one member and having a raceway in engagement with said flange and the other raceway having an inwardly tapered outer surface, a plurality of latch members pivotally mounted on the other of the members, extending axially thereof and having an overhanging tapered portion movable to overlie and engage said tapered outer surface of the bearing raceway, said latch members being tiltable to release the flanged member whereby the male and female members may be separated.

2. A union of the class described including, male and female members having complementary interfitting parts, a flange on one of the members, a plurality of latch members pivotally mounted upon the other of the members, there being an inwardly extending tapered surface on each of the latch members, an antifriction thrust bearing surrounding said one member and in engagement with said flange, the outermost surface of the bearing raceway being complementary to the tapered surface on the latch members, whereby the latch members are urged to their innermost latching position when pressure within the union tends to separate the male and female members.

3. A fluid conducting swivel including, a female member having a counterbore therein, a

male member having an end position adapted to enter said counterbore, a flange on the male member overlying the end of the female member, latch members pivotally mounted on the female member, extending longitudinally of the member, and terminating in inwardly tapered end portions, an antifriction bearing engaging said flange and having its outer race surface complemental to the tapered surfaces on the latch members whereby the female and male members are swivelly interlocked when internal pressure is applied thereto.

4. A fluid conducting swivel including, a female member having a counterbore therein, a male member having an end position adapted to enter said countrebore, a flange on the male member overlying the end of the female member, a plurality of latch members pivotally mounted on one of the members movable to an inward position to engage the other of the mem- RALPH L. KERR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 946,935 Clay Jan. 18, 1910 964,238 Goss July 12, 1910 20 1,946,316 Friend Feb. 6, 1934 

